NASA aborts spacewalk due to water leak in astronaut’s helmet

Cape Canaveral, Florida: NASA has aborted a spacewalk at the International Space Station because of a dangerous water leak in an astronaut’s helmet.

Italy’s first spacewalker, Luca Parmitano, reported that he felt a lot of water on the back of his head barely an hour into Tuesday’s spacewalk. The leak was so bad that he needed help from a fellow astronaut getting back into the safety of the space station.

In this image made from video provided by NASA, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano stands on the end of a robotic arm during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. AP

Parmitano at first thought it was sweat because of all his exertion performing routine cable work. But he was repeatedly assured it was not sweat. His spacewalking partner, American Christopher Cassidy, said it might be water from his drink bag. Cassidy said it looks like a half-liter of water leaked out.

The water eventually got into Parmitano’s eyes. That’s when NASA ordered the two men back inside.